Conant pushes for crosswalk on Weirs Blvd at Four Seasons condos

LACONIA — Councilor Mike Conant (Ward 6) voiced concern about safe pedestrian crossing, in front of the Four Seasons Condominiums on Weirs Boulevard, at a recent council meeting.

Across from the Four Seasons townhouse community and on the other side of Route 3 is Lake Winnipesaukee’s Paugus Bay. Residents can access stairs leading down to the docks associated with the property, but not with a crosswalk or similar feature to ensure residents can reach the lake safely.

Residents have united to request construction of a sidewalk connecting residents of 883 Weirs Blvd to their lake access, at both the local and state levels.

Conant drives down Weirs Boulevard frequently, and said on July 13, the pedestrians he sees crossing are senior citizens and their grandchildren. “Hurry up and run” across is not applicable.

It's difficult to put a crosswalk on Weirs Boulevard, because the first thing the Department of Public Works and state Department of Transportation staff look at is the “line of sight.” On winding Weirs Boulevard, there are many blind curves, making it difficult to see around the corner. In most areas on the road, the speed limit is 35 mph, except where Saint Moritz Condominiums are located, which is 30 mph, lowered because of public beach access.

When a vehicle is driving 35 mph, the driver's line of sight should be at least 250 feet. This assumes the driver’s eye height is 3.5 feet above the road, and a hazard would be about 2 feet above the road.

Nate Guerette, director of Public Works, said he can think of a crosswalk on Weirs Boulevard that should never have been put there in the first place.

Guerette said the department is in an “engineering study phase,” and he is working closely with Jordan Pike, traffic engineer and vice president of operations at HEB Engineers. Guerette said constructing new crosswalks, especially along the busy, winding roadway, is not a hasty decision.

Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines must be met. The crosswalk would have to be accessible, with curb ramps and clear pathway slopes. Because the crosswalk would directly connect condo residents to the docks across the street, the docks would also need to be fully accessible, and a ramp would need to be added.

If a crosswalk were placed in front of the complex, to meet safety and accessibility requirements, the guard rail lining would need to be cut, to allow for ramp and crosswalk construction leading to the docks.

“I think it’s a terrible place for crossing. There’s no space on the lake side,” Guerette said.

Guerette said further north of the Four Seasons, around the corner, is a flat area which would be ideal for crossing.

Conant said he's parked near the Four Seasons, and it's a scary spot to cross. He said if a conventional crosswalk is not possible, constructing a warning light to alert vehicles to yield to pedestrians would be almost as ideal.

Guerette said jokingly, at first, maybe a tunnel could be the solution. He said where he lives in Bristol, there are tunnels en route to Plymouth which function well, although this is more extravagant.

Guerette said constructing crosswalks is not costly, but it is a process. He said he was discussing the location with Pike just a few weeks ago, as the concern recently came across his desk. Guerette stepped into his director role in March 2026, and will continue to work on projects, as he keeps fostering discussions about safety for Four Seasons Condos, even if the solution is not a conventional crosswalk, due to state requirements.